First Congregational Church UCC of Farmington

Documents, photographs, and books detailing the contributions of First Congregational Church UCC of Farmington.

From the First Congregational Church website:

As was the case in many rugged rural communities, establishing a church tested the patience, passion and perseverance of those citizens who felt called to do so. Early on, visiting preachers would come and hold meetings in local barns and open fields. The current church building was built in 1875, however it was actually the fourth edifice to house the early Congregationalists of Farmington. Initially gathering in 1819, with a membership of eight persons, they used several “meeting houses” before building their first dedicated church on donated land across the street from where we are today in 1844. In 1870 a larger, two-story church was built on our present site. Pictures of this building still exist, however it was totally destroyed in a fire just five years after dedication.

In August 2017 the church received the distinction of being listed on the New Hampshire Register of Historic Places by the state's Division of Historic Resources. The 1875 church building is recognized as an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture, grisaille stained glass windows and for its significance in the culture and history of the town of Farmington. This is the oldest church in the town in continuous use for 132 years.

January 2018 the First Congregational Church in Farmington has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to Peter Michaud, who works for the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources, the church is the first building in Farmington to be honored with this distinction. The only other site in Farmington on the register is the town pound, a stone wall enclosure where animals could be kept.